Cancer by far is one of the deadliest diseases of all the known diseases that can inflict a human being on this face of the earth. Interestingly, unlike other diseases, you will find a plethora of cancer types and subtypes falling under the broad category of cancer.
Throughout the world, every year September is observed as a special month for cancer awareness, including Child Cancer Awareness, Prostate Awareness, Ovarian Awareness, and Thyroid Cancer Awareness.
Our blog post will focus on the main topic-Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month September 2020. We will throw a lot of light on thyroid cancer, including its significance, thyroid causes, demographics, the Purple Ribbon, and Thyroid Cancer Awareness. Read on to find out more.
Lesser-known Facts about Thyroid Cancer
- September is celebrated as Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month globally.
- Thyroid Disease Awareness Month and Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month are two different things!
- Thyroid Disease Awareness Month is celebrated in January.
- The ribbon color for Thyroid Cancer Awareness is purple and it is symbolic of its awareness
- More women are at a higher risk of developing Thyroid Cancer than men
- There has been a 4% rise in the infliction rate of thyroid cancer year-after-year over the last 10 years.
- In the USA, about 52000 people were diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer in 2019.
- In India, it is estimated that 42 million people are currently affected by this disease.
What Is Thyroid Cancer?
Thyroid Cancer is a cancerous disease that forms due to the mutation of cells or tissues in thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the lower portion of the neck which slowly develops into a tumor. The good news is thyroid cancer is easily treatable and can be cured if diagnosed in its early stages.
Thyroid Cancer: A perfect Example of Adult Cancer
Thyroid cancer usually affects elderly people between the ages of 50 – 60 years and is a perfect example of adult cancer. While the infliction rates of other adult cancers have seen a decline, there has been a sharp rise in the infliction rate associated with Thyroid cancer. This is mainly due to the technological advancements for detecting this disease at an early stage and of course the lack of funding for carrying out research and installing the latest Thyroid Cancer medical facilities.
What Causes Thyroid Cancer?
Although the exact cause of thyroid cancer is not yet known to scientists, the disease can be attributed to the genetic or DNA changes in the thyroid cells of the affected individual. The genetic changes may occur due to:
- Family inherited genetic mutations
- Exposure to radiation
- Low iodine diet
Types of Thyroid Cancer
Depending on the type of cells in the tumor, Thyroid Cancer can be classified into 4 types:
- Papillary Thyroid Cancer-develops from the follicular cells of the thyroid gland and accounts for 85% of all Thyroid Cancers.
- Follicular Thyroid Cancer: a more aggressive type of thyroid cancer and accounts for 10% of all thyroid cancers.
- Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: a very rare type of thyroid cancer and accounts for only 1% of all Thyroid Cancers. It is hard to diagnose in early stages and also difficult to treat.
- Medullary Thyroid Cancer: this type of cancer can be diagnosed and treated easily. It produces a hormone called calcitonin which can be detected through a simple blood test and accounts for 4% of all Thyroid Cancers.
Thyroid Cancer Treatment
Most types of Thyroid Cancers can be cured easily if they are diagnosed in initial stages and treated using the right procedures. Some of the tumors arising out of Thyroid Cancer may not even require treatment in their initial stages as there may be very little or almost no damage caused to the cells over a short span.
A timely diagnosis, followed by an effective prognosis is the key to curing the people affected by this deadly disease. Currently, some of the caveats limiting the advancement of Thyroid Cancer are adequate funding and research in this area.
As responsible citizens of the country, we need to help Thyroid Cancer Organizations overcome these problems by educating the people about the importance of donations for Thyroid Cancer advancement. Over the last decade, there has been a significant amount of breakthrough in the way thyroid cancer is treated. Some of the popular methods of treating thyroid cancer are:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Stem Cell Therapy
- Radiotherapy
Thyroid Cancer Awareness September 2020
Since September is dedicated to bringing about Thyroid Cancer Awareness worldwide, this is the ideal time to indulge in Thyroid Cancer Awareness activities. Whether you are an individual or an NGO with a social cause for cancer, we highly recommend using the big three Social Media Platforms—Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to promote and share relevant graphics, inspirational stories, and the latest news related to Thyroid Cancer.
Keep in mind that you must promote Thyroid Cancer Awareness on social media during the entire month of September as this is the national thyroid month. One of the biggest advantages of using social media platforms is it helps you reach your targeted customers quickly and easily. Thyroid Cancer organizations can go one step ahead by organizing fundraising campaigns via the Social Media Platforms for collecting funds for furthering research in Thyroid Cancer.
